Slicing machine



Jan. 9, 1934. H. w. MOOD 1,942,563

SLICING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor /%/2; er W/lfaad Jan. 9, 1934.

SLICING MACHINE H. w. MOOD 31,942,563

ZSheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1932 MUN f l/V 2 3/ g M 27 r a 6 lll/ Inventor Patented Jan. 9, 1934 ,SLICIINGTMACHINE Homer W. Mood, Paris, 111., assignor to John Hicks and Guy: Hicks, Paris, Ill.

Application I ecember 6, 1932. Serial No. 646,012

2 Claims. (Cl. 148-101) I This invention relates to a structurally refined and admittedly improved machine which is especially, but not necessarily, adapted for slicing meat products. I

In carrying the principles of the inventive con-, ception into actual practice I have perfected an unusually uniform and wellbalanced arrangement embodying a relatively fixed shearing plate and an adjustable revoluble cutter cooperating with the plate in a manner to permit-one of the primary parts of said-cutter to-function as a thickness gauge, whereby to permit the thicknesses of the slices to be predetermined andace curately governed.

One of the fundamental distinctions of the preferred embodiment of the invention as-illustrated in the drawings is the employment of an-unique planetary gear drive arrangement involving a new principle of mechanics and application of force so far as it relates to propulsion means for a rotary cutting knife in a slicing machine of the aforesaid variety. I

Without making further reference to the spe-v cific structural details and relative association and arrangement herein employed I deem .it important to mention that I am aware of the fact that the field of invention to which the present contribution relates is reasonably well developed and characterized by proportionately and relatively different mechanical assemblies and that it is my primary aim to generally improve upon known marketed and patented machines utilized for the same purpose by the adoption of a structure which accomplishes the desired result in-a more satisfactory and dependable manner. I

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more'readily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in section and elevation showing a complete meat slicing machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional and elevational view taken approximately on the plane of the line 2'2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is an end elevation displaying the planetary gearing and balance wheel with the gear casing removed.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the balance wheel.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the annular suspension frame for the balance wheel and its associated details.

Figures 6 and '7 are detail sectional views taken approximately on the plane of the lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively of Figure 2.

Referring first to Figure 1 wherein the complete operative machine is illustrated it will be observed that'the numeral 8 designates what may be referred to as a table or similar support carrying a suitable stand or base 9 to accommodate the feed trough 10. The feed trough is here shown as formed with a substantially U-shaped attaching yoke 11 to which the annular supporting frame 12 is rigidly secured. This frame 12 as seen in Figures 2 and 5 is provided with a central spider 13 carrying a centralized bearing formed with a hub 14. The hub is provided with external screw threads as indicated at 15 in Figure2. In practice this frame functions as a shearing plate with which the rotary disk or cutter l6 cooperates.

The numeral 17 designates a horizontally disposed central shaft which is slidably mounted in the hub 14. Atits right hand this shaft is provided with. a groove 18. At the opposite .end there is an internally screw threaded regulating cap 19 adjustably mounted on the threads 15 and swiveily attached to the adjacent end of the shaft through the instrumentality of a fastening 30 screw 20. r

Disposed 'in spaced parallelism with respect to the shearing plate or frame 12 is a rotor which may be designated either as a fly wheel or balance wheel 21 and this is provided with an eccentric operating handle 22. Moreover at its center it is formed with a bearing 23 to accommodate a liner or bushing 24 held in place by a set screw 25. The adjacent grooved end of the shaftil'l projects into this bushing. Formed integral with the bearing 23 is a crank' arm- 26 terminating in an additional bearing 27. Mounted for rotation in the bearing 27 is a socket 28 held in place by a retaining screw 29. In connection with this socket I direct attention to the numeral 30 which designates a stub shaft arranged eccentric and parallel to the shaft 17 and carrying the disk 16. This stub shaft is slidably keyed as at 31 in the socket and bears against an expansion coiled spring 32 located in the socket. Rigidly attached to the protruding end of the socket 28 is a driven gear or pinion 33 which meshes with a relatively fixed drive gear 34 secured to the first named bushing 24. It might be stated here that the part 28 functions as a bushing as well as a retention socket for the spring 32. In connection with the bushing 24 I call attention to the fact that it carries a retaining screw 35 extending into the groove 18 of the shaft in order to fasten the entire cutter unit to said shaft while at the same time permitting said unit to possess the desired rotating and revolving or planetary action.

In order to understand the operation of the structure it must be apparent that the frame or shearing plate 12 is relatively fixed as is the shaft 17 so far as the shaft relates to rotary movement. It is evident however that the shaft 17 is slidably mounted in the hub 14 and is moved back and forth through the instrumentality of the adjusting cap 19 cooperating with the threads 15. As before stated the cap 19 is swivelly connected with the shaft 1'? by way of the screw 20. The bushing 24 is keyed to the shaft 17 and the drive gear 34 is fastened to the bushing. The remainder of the structure is relatively movable, that is the fly wheel 21 rotates around the bushing 24 when caused to move by manipulating the handle 22. This arrangement permits the crank arm,.stub shaft 30,.cutterdisk 16 and the pinion 33 to revolve with the fly wheel through .the agencyof the crank arm 26 which forms an integral part of the fly wheel. Thus as the fly wheel is rotated the pinion 33 rides around the peripheryof the relatively stationary drive gear 34 permitting the requisite rotary motion of the cutter disk while it travels through its orbital path. In order to permit the sliced products :to escape the fly wheel is formed opposite the cutter disk with a release opening 36.

Particular novelty is predicated upon the spaced parallel relationship of the balance or fly wheel 21 with respect to the shearing plate or frame 12, and the adjusting means 15 and 19 for regulating the position of :the shaft 1'? and the space between the parts l2.and 21. Thispermits the thickness ofthe slices of the meatproduct to be gauged or regulated. Additional novelty is predicated upon the planetary gearing arrangement together with the revoluble motion of the balance wheel 21 and the rotary disk -:16 travelling therewith and having independent rotary motion. This permits the disk cutter=to approach the meat product in a manner to insure effective cutting action.

It is thought that thedescription taken in. connection with the drawings will enable a clear understanding of the invention {to :be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description issthought unnecessary.

Whilethe preferred embodimentof the invention has been shown and described, it :is .to zbe understood .that minor changes coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a meat slicing machine of the class described, in combination, a stationary feed trough, a shearing plate fixedly attached to said trough, a centralized shaft carried by said plate at the central portion of the plate, a balance wheel mounted for rotation on said shaft and disposed in spaced parallelism with said plate, an operatinghandle for said balance wheel, a crank arm attached to the central portion of the balance wheel and terminating at its outer end in a bearing, a bushing mounted for rotation in said last bearing, a driven pinion attached to the bushing, a stub shaft slidably keyed in said bushing and disposed in eccentric parallelism with re- Spect to said first named shaft, a rotary cutter disk carried by said stub shaft and in moving contact with the adjacent face of the shearing plate, and a drive gear attached to the first namedshaft, said driven gear being in mesh with said drive gear.

2. -In a meat slicing machine of the class described, in combination, a relatively stationary feed trough, a vertically disposed shearing and supporting frame attached rigidly to the discharge end of the trough, said frame being provided with a central externally screw threaded hub, a'horizontalshaft mounted for sliding movement in said hub, an internally screw threaded regulating cap threaded on saidhub and swivelly connected to an adjacent end of the shaft, the opposite end of the shaft projecting beyond the shearing face of the frame, a drive gear secured to the last named end of said shaft, a rotary balance wheel having a centralized bearing mounted for rotation on the last named end portion of the shaft inward of said gear, a crank arm formed integral with said bearing and radiating-therefrom andgterminating at its outer end in an eccentrically arranged secondary bearing, a socket-bushing mounted for rotation in said secondary bearing, a driven pinion attached to the sooket-bushing anhaving its teeth in mesh with the gear, a cushioning spring fitted in the socket of said bushing, that part of the balance wheel in alinement with said bushing being formed with a clearance opening, a stub shaft arranged in parallelism with said first named shaft but eccentrically thereto, a rotary cutter disk on the stub shaft in movablecontact with the shearing face of said plate, the opposite end of the stub shaft being slidably keyed in the socket of said socket bushing, and an eccentric operating handle attached to-the peripheralportion of said'balance wheel.

HOMER W. MOOD. 

